Ceremonial Sitting Before Her Honour Magistrate M Wilson – Transcript of Proceedings

In The Magistrates Court of Tasmania. Held at Hobart before Her Honour Magistrate M Wilson.
Ceremonial Sitting. 4 February 2026

Transcript of Proceedings

HER HONOUR: On behalf of my colleagues, the judicial and non‑judicial officers of this Court, I welcome each of you to this special sitting of the Magistrates Court of Tasmania. I will now ask my clerk to read out the apologies received.

COURT CLERK: Apologies and best wishes have been received from Tasmania Police Commissioner Donna Adams APM, Pauline van Adrichem, Deputy Secretary, Deputy of Department of Justice.

HER HONOUR: I’ll now ask my court clerk to read the Instrument of Appointment dated the 17th of December 2025.

COURT CLERK: Instrument of appointment issued by Her Excellency, the Governor of Tasmania. I, Her Excellency the Honourable Barbara Baker AC, Companion of the Order of Australia, Governor in and over the state of Tasmania and its dependencies in the Commonwealth of Australia, in exercise of the powers conferred upon me by sections 4 and 8 of the Magistrates Court Act 1987, and acting with the advice from the Executive Council, hereby appoint Madeline Wilson as a permanent full-time Magistrate. Given under my hand at Hobart in Tasmania on 17 December 2025, signed by her Excellency and the Attorney-General.

HER HONOUR: Thank you. I call on the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, the Honourable Guy Barnett. Thank you.

MR BARNETT: May it please your Honour. I’m pleased to have the opportunity of appearing before your Honour on the occasion of your inaugural sitting in the Magistrates Court in Tasmania. I offer my sincere congratulations and those of the government on your appointment to this office, for which I’m sure all those present will agree that your Honour is eminently suited.

Your Honour has a long and distinguished legal career in Tasmania. After graduation from the University of Tasmania in 1995 with the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Law, you undertook an apprenticeship with Wallace Wilkinson & Webster, one of Tasmania’s longest-established legal firms. And following three years as a junior criminal defence lawyer, you commenced work with the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions in 1999, where you’ve worked for the past 26 years, rising through the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to the position of Assistant Director, Summary Prosecutions most recently. As well as previously being involved in managing the Sexual Assault and Family Violence Unit, within your office.

You are a familiar face in courts in Tasmania, and in your time at the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions, you assisted some of the most vulnerable members of the community. You’re one of Tasmania’s most experienced criminal lawyers, having 30 years of experience defending and prosecuting a myriad of crimes and offences in both the Magistrates Court and the Supreme Court. You’re also a member of the Guardianship and Administration Board as it then was, between 2019 and 2021. You were appointed as Senior Counsel by the former Chief Justice Alan Blow in April 2021, and now, I have the absolute pleasure of congratulating you on your appointment as a Magistrate.

I note that your appointment marks an exciting moment in Tasmanian legal history, being the first father and daughter to both be appointed as Magistrates, noting your father’s time here as a Magistrate between 1976 and 1977. Your Honour has other accomplishments too numerous to mention, and your career to date has indeed demonstrated your suitability to the tasks that lie ahead of you. You are known for your kindness, good humour, empathy, and, as I understand it, the ability to somewhat hold a tune, according to those in attendance at a bar convention at Cradle Mountain many years ago.

You’ve earned the respect of the community and your colleagues in the legal profession through your many years of practice. I wish you a long, distinguished, and satisfying career as a Magistrate of this court. May it please the court.

HER HONOUR: Thank you. Call on the President of the Law Society of Tasmania, Ms Amelia Higgs.

MS HIGGS: May it please the court. On behalf of the Law Society of Tasmania, I congratulate you on your appointment to the Magistrates Court of Tasmania. In preparing for this speech, I looked at the makeup of the Magistrates Court and realised that your appointment means that, of the 17 sitting magistrates in Tasmania, now over half of those are women. Your career to date and your appointment as a magistrate is a noteworthy example to other women in the profession, and one which many will no doubt take inspiration from.

Now, you and I have never crossed paths. We operate in different jurisdictions, and as a result, I had to undertake some detective work to prepare this address. All my sources have claimed legal professional privilege.

The work of a lawyer, especially a criminal lawyer, is always demanding, sometimes tedious, and often confronting. Your role leading the Sexual Assault and Family Violence Unit no doubt exposed you to some of the most harrowing situations, and in your capacity as Assistant Director, you appeared in a number of high profile, high stakes matters. And despite having carriage of such cases, it was made clear to me by those I spoke to that while you take your work very seriously, you also find the space for fun in your workday too. For example, I’m told that at some point during the COVID period you took to signing off your internal emails as “Mad, (not angry)” and more recently you took to playing an early Miley Cyrus song as your pump-up jam before some appearances in a particularly gruelling and highly publicised trial. And noting what the Deputy Premier said, I would have been interested to be a fly on the wall when belting out that one. I’m told that you’re also partial to silly jokes, although nobody was willing to share what the jokes actually were, and that you enjoy a glass of white wine to wind down. But of course, your fondness for bad punch lines and a good pinot grigio is not what led to your appointment, although perhaps it helped.

When describing your skills as an advocate, my sources spoke of your ability to simply and clearly present complex evidence and legal principles to a jury, your talent for crafting persuasive arguments on the fly, and your impressive recall of key details. I received this anecdote from one of your opponents. I quote,

“I juniored as a defence in a murder trial with Madeline Wilson SC as counsel for the prosecution. The case against my client was, I will admit, rock solid, but there was a co-accused and it was a very different story for her. I could not see a path to conviction for that co-accused until Madeleine delivered an absolutely flawless closing address to the jury, linking all of the many and varied pieces of evidence to support a verdict of guilty in an incredible display of both intelligence and jury savvy.

I remember writing a note to my senior counsel that just said, ‘She just won the trial,’ and I was not wrong. A Court of Criminal Appeal ultimately determined otherwise, but that closing will forever stay with me as the best example of a measured, intelligent, meticulous, and engaging closing address that I have ever seen.”

Your Honour, it is clear that you are held in high regard both by your colleagues and your opponents. At a time when the profession is desperately in need of criminal lawyers and is facing ever increasing court backlogs, I know that the Office of the DPP will feel your absence keenly. However, your skills and expertise will no doubt be of great benefit to both the legal profession and the community at large in this new role as a Magistrate. Once again, on behalf of the Law Society of Tasmania, congratulations on your appointment and best wishes for this new chapter in your career.

HER HONOUR: Thank you very much. Call on the President of the Tasmanian Bar Association, Ms Mary Anne Ryan.

MS RYAN: Your Honour, it’s a pleasure to deliver this address today. The Tasmanian Bar congratulates you on your elevation as a Magistrate of this state. While I have personally known you since I was a student doing work experience in the summer break at Wallace, Wilkinson & Webster, it has been a great privilege to speak to your friends, family, and colleagues, gathering my intelligence for this event – don’t worry.

Your Honour comes to this role with a breadth of experience in the criminal law. You began your career at Wallace Wilkinson, supervised by the distinguished Jim Wilkinson, but also mentored by other senior practitioners, well respected in the legal community at that firm. In point of fact, your Honour cut your teeth in criminal law in this very court over which you will now preside over many, many cases. You were junior counsel assisting the Commissioner in the inquiry into the death of Joseph Gilewicz, quite an honour for a junior practitioner, particularly when you take into account the events surrounding Mr Gilewicz’s death, resulted in immense and intense inquiries on governance in this state, including the Law Institute of Tasmania.

Your Honour moved to the DPP in 1999 and rose to the position of Crown Counsel, where you oversaw child sexual assault and family violence prosecutions. Both were serious and complex areas requiring advanced advocacy skills, sensitivity, and compassion which you are known to possess in abundance. Finally rising to the rank of Assistant Director with responsibility for summary prosecutions. Along the way, your leadership, integrity, and legal expertise were recognised on your appointment as Senior Counsel. You have assisted the Coroner at several inquests. You have had carriage of numerous prosecutions arising from tragic deaths. Here clearly all those involved suffered, be they the deceased, the loved ones, or the defendant themselves. The most recent example of this being the Director of Public Prosecutions versus Rosemary Gamble, trading as Taz-Zorb, colloquially known as the Hillcrest prosecution. You were, perhaps, ideally suited to carriage of that prosecution given your personal characteristics. You are known to be very fair, tough but measured, and able to master detailed, scientific, and dense subject matter. Your style is not to dominate the courtroom; you do that by sheer force of your intelligence and your legal skills.

Indeed, these qualities are acknowledged and remarked on by many of my colleagues at the independent bar and your former colleagues at the DPP. Pursuing and advancing a career in law as you have, like many of us, at times we hit temporary roadblocks. But you have continued on course, unfazed, undistracted by the noise around you, demonstrating to your colleagues, particularly those junior to you, humility and integrity. You are always appropriate in your dealings with colleagues, opposing counsel, and witnesses. Many I spoke to referred to your Honour’s epic work ethic and the manner in which you have balanced your role as what is universally noted to be a doting mother, and your role at the DPP. Many of your junior peers have been inspired by this, and you have played an important leadership role at the DPP in that regard. You have endeared yourself to colleagues by keeping a fastidiously clean and tidy office, not a thing out of place, which most of your colleagues can only aspire to I’m told.

In earlier years, your Honour was known to love a party hard, while always staying on the right side of the law, of course. At university, again, you demonstrated organisation, some might say, albeit organised chaos, in meeting deadlines while not missing out on any fun. Your colleagues tell me you played squash for the post-game refreshments. These days, your friends tell me you’ve been known to fall asleep towards the end of parties and dinner parties. One of your esteemed former colleagues noted your Honour possesses an absolute dedication to social events, more particularly if it involves a theme or a costume. You have embraced with gusto many theme soirees and not shied away from bold moves, for example, when you embodied Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth at a quiz night or when you wore a mankini T-shirt at the work Christmas party. It is noted your Honour was always punctual to these events, invariably the last to leave. I’m sure it is a source of great anticipation to Chief Magistrate Geason to know that your Honour will now be on hand to add colour to all the court’s private social events.

Your family tell me that you love Bali escapes, but admirably return without face tattoos or hair braids. Your record of dedicated public service has not stopped at the DPP. You were involved in Camp Quality for many years, helping with their camps and giving your time to various other activities run by that organisation. Your Honour has been ambitious where it mattered, but equally light-hearted when it doesn’t. The Tasmanian Bar could not be more pleased with your appointment. You possess exactly the right temperament for this role, and we wish you every success.

HER HONOUR: Thank you very much. Deputy Commissioner of Tasmania Police, Jonathan Higgins.

MR HIGGINS: Your Honour, it is a privilege to be here today representing Tasmania Police to formally recognise and celebrate your appointment as a Magistrate of the Magistrates Court of Tasmania. While Commissioner Adams is unable to attend the ceremonial sitting, she has asked me to convey her warmest congratulations. She holds you in highest regard, professionally and personally, and extends her very best wishes as you begin this new chapter in your service.

Your appointment is a significant milestone in an almost 30-year legal career underpinned by extensive criminal law expertise, going through your service as Crown Counsel with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions since 1999. You have appeared extensively in both the Magistrates Court and the Supreme Court, demonstrating deep expertise in criminal procedure of the highest standards of professional advocacy. For Tasmania Police your Honour, your appointment carries particular significance. Over many years, our prosecutors and investigators have valued your professionalism, clarity, fairness, and mentorship in court. Many of our members hold deep respect for the balance you bring to your work and the strong, constructive relationships you have fostered throughout your career.

Your Honour, as you take your seat on the bench, you do so at a time when the justice system faces significant challenges. These challenges are felt across policing, prosecution, and court administration. With these pressures come opportunities, and your leadership, experience, and steady judgement will be invaluable as we work together to meet these challenges. In doing so, we will uphold the system of justice that is fair, timely, and firmly focused on the safety and wellbeing of the Tasmanian community.

Your distinguished career, your integrity, and the deep respect you command across the legal profession all serve as clear indicators of the positive impact you’ll continue to make in this vital role. On behalf of the Commissioner and the entirety of Tasmania Police, Your Honour, I extend our sincere congratulations and convey our best wishes for every success as you commence your service as a Magistrate of the Magistrates Court of Tasmania.

HER HONOUR: Thank you. Firstly, I’d like to acknowledge the Muwinina people on whose land this court sits, their elders past, present, and emerging. I thank the Honourable Attorney, the Deputy Commissioner of Tasmania Police, and the Presidents of the Law Society of Tasmania and Tasmanian Bar Association for their kind and generous words. I’m very humbled by the depth of the support and the numerous emails, texts, letters, and good wishes that I’ve received since my appointment was announced. I’m especially grateful to The Mercury for publishing a very flattering 20-year-old before shot of me which accompanied their article.

I would like to acknowledge the support of my family, and I’m pleased to have my parents Bill and Jocelyn, brothers Ellis and Tom, extended family members, and, of course, my husband Jim and sons Jack and Tom present here today.

It perhaps isn’t a surprise that I followed the family tradition and pursued a career in the law, although, if the truth be known, it probably had less to do with a burning desire to become a lawyer and more to do with being rubbish at maths and science, which somewhat limited my career opportunities, although I believe I’m in the excellent company of Magistrate Brown in that regard. As many of you know, my father had a distinguished career in the law, reaching the apex as Chief Justice of our Supreme Court. He represents, to my mind, the epitome of the judicial officer, known for his judicial demeanour and his patience, courtesy, and respect for those who appeared before him. He has always been a wonderful role model for me.

My mother, you may not know, is also a graduate of the University of Tasmania Law School and was one of the first female Judge’s Associates, serving as an Associate to Sir George Crawford. In fact, she was pregnant with me when she was admitted as a legal practitioner in 1970, somewhat telling my age, while my younger brother Tom was admitted in 1999, the year I moved to the Crown. At that time, the four of us appeared in The Mercury newspaper with the heading “Another Legal Eagle in the Family Nest”. In it, Tom described his move into the legal profession as a process of osmosis, which quite frankly, made him sound like a bit of a tool, while I reflected on the funny stories and characters that we’d grown up around.

Parts of my childhood were certainly shaped by my parents’ involvement in the legal profession. I remember frequent dinner parties at the Green’s house in New Town and us kids making whirlpools in their above-ground pool to the tune of the boys doing their best rendition of the Jaws theme, and I recall colourful characters like Michael Hodgman QC and Ian Elliot, who were larger than life and whose tall stories always elicited deep belly laughs from my father. The closeness of the profession was apparent to me, even as a youngster, and it made a lasting impression.

I also remember my father going on circuit to Launceston and Burnie as Crown Advocate and later as a Judge, often returning late on a Friday night and us kids waiting up for him to come home with a small gift for each of us. We were particularly excited to receive a Smurf figurine, even more so if we scored something other than Spanner Smurf, of which we had at least three, all the while being blissfully unaware that they were likely giveaways for refuelling at the local BP service station on the way home. We also have fond memories of attending the Tasmanian Bar Conventions at Rutherglen, Louisville, and other places on the East Coast with our parents.

Reflecting on this, I see some parallels in my own career as a Crown Prosecutor with two young children, I dreaded leaving Jim and the kids on a Sunday afternoon to go on circuit and always looked forward to seeing them at the end of the week, with presents bought in the lunch break from a bookstore or gift shop. And of attending the bar conventions as an adult, to junior at Strahan in 2001 and experiencing the traditions that existed at that time, like the boot and the leader’s jersey, and for anyone who’s been on those conventions, remember: what happens on tour stays on tour.

The Bar conventions were always very inclusive and collegial, a place where the judiciary mixed with practitioners from the Crown, from the independent bar, and from private practice. The after-dinner speeches were followed by skits with songs that had been changed to convey a legal theme or to send up someone, and as the Honourable Attorney mentioned, Cath, Linda and I would often be prevailed upon to perform the chorus and sing songs like “Waterloo”, heralding the appointment of our first female judge.

The camaraderie and mutual respect amongst the profession is something that I’ve always enjoyed about practising law, and it has made the hard-fought cases all the more bearable because of it. I can certainly vouch for the collegiality of the court, who’ve all been incredibly welcoming and supportive since I commenced in January, before scuffling off to Bali for a holiday.

I’d also like to take the opportunity to quickly thank a number of people for their support throughout my career. Firstly, I’d like to thank my parents for giving me a very happy childhood and instilling me with good values and for their unconditional love, and my husband Jim for his love, support, and encouragement. He’s often come to the rescue when things have felt a bit overwhelming, usually when I’ve been found rocking in a corner somewhere. He keeps me grounded, he keeps the household in check and manages his own business. So thank you for all the heavy lifting, for all the after-school pick-ups and drop-offs, getting the boys to all their trainings and other commitments, and for doing all the cooking. And, of course, my two sons Jack and Tom, whom I love dearly and I’m very proud of.

I would also like to thank David Wallace, who was my Master at Wallace Wilkinson & Webster. I loved my time at Wallace Wilkinson & Webster, and working with Jim Wilkinson and Graham Wood and others, and Chris Webster, my now colleague. At that time, it had a very busy criminal practice, and I was on my feet in Magistrates Court very quickly and I loved the cut and thrust of the busy lock-up list. The two Supreme Court trials that I did while I was there were great experiences, and they whetted my appetite for jury trials.

After about three years I applied for the job at the DPP and was offered a six-month contract in Hobart, where, as you heard, I remained for almost 27 years. I had the good fortune to work closely with Mike Stoddart on many sexual assault prosecutions and to observe his compassion for the many complainants he dealt with, and how he was able to develop a close rapport with his witnesses. Over the years, I’ve also prosecuted many of these types of offences and have been struck by the lasting trauma of sexual assault and family violence and how vulnerable the victims are. For many, it’s their first experience with the criminal justice system and they’re expected to recount a deeply personal and distressing event to a room full of strangers. And yet, at the same time, I was often impressed by their incredible resilience, courage, and determination. I’ve seen first-hand how validating the experience of giving evidence against an abuser can be, and what a difference getting justice for these victims can make. It is really important work and I found it so rewarding to play a small part in achieving that.

I’ve also benefited greatly from working with the Director, Daryl Coates SC, on a number of matters throughout my career. I worked on two separate murder trials with the Director, as well as a number of other high-profile cases. I’m grateful for his support and the opportunities that he’s given me throughout my time at the DPP. His belief in my abilities has surpassed my own at times, and I’m thankful for his encouragement.

I also want to acknowledge the Deputy Director, Linda Mason SC. I’m truly grateful for her friendship and support. She’s a highly skilled prosecutor and a generous mentor. In addition, we’ve navigated becoming first and second-time mothers at the same time, and the return to work juggle. Linda is truly someone who lifts people up, and my success is, in no small part, due to her encouragement and support. So, thank you.

Finally, I’d like to thank my fellow Magistrates for making me feel so welcome. I’m excited to be working in the Coronial Division. I know that there’s a lot of work to do and I’m looking forward to the challenges that the job will bring, but also hopeful that, in due course, I’ll be able to make a meaningful contribution in that space.

Thank you again, all of you, for being here today and for making it so special.

The court will now adjourn.

May 2026